A man who had his world turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis earlier this year is refusing to let the shock discovery stop him, as h has even set himself the target of completing a HYROX challenge later this year.
At the end of 2025, Nico, 32, began to notice a sudden, sharp pain rush through his head when he sat up in bed each morning. It lasted only a few seconds each time, so he tried not to think too much of it, especially because he was perfectly fine throughout the day.
Unfortunately, the headaches progressed and gradually became more frequent. Nico, from the U.K, told Newsweek that, after a while, coughing, sneezing or bending over also triggered the pain, and he started to get frequent, dull headaches that would last much longer.
Following three weeks of this constant pain, Nico “realized something wasn’t right” and organized a doctor’s appointment. But he never could have imagined it would lead to such a devastating discovery.
“The doctor referred me to a neurologist, who then booked me in for an emergency MRI scan just two hours later,” Nico said. “Looking back now, I’m incredibly grateful he was able to arrange that scan so quickly.
“I assumed it would be something minor that would disappear in a week or two. I never imagined it could be anything serious. I had absolutely no idea that there was a serious tumor growing inside my head.”
At the time, Nico had just returned from a trip to Saudi Arabia and was working as normal. Indeed, he certainly didn’t imagine he was about to receive a cancer diagnosis.
Later that evening, Nico received a call from the doctor saying the scan had shown “something that shouldn’t be there.” Nico was asked to return to the hospital first thing the next morning, and he was urged to bring his family along with him.
He knew then that it was serious, and his life was about to change. Nico was subsequently diagnosed with Grade 4 medulloblastoma at the age of 32, requiring him to undergo brain surgery before starting a lengthy treatment plan.
“To be honest, it’s all been a bit of a shock. I’ve just tried to stay as strong as possible for my family because it’s an incredibly difficult situation for them as well,” Nico said.
He continued: “From day one, I think I just accepted that I’d been dealt a really tough hand. There’s nothing I can do about that, so my focus has been on staying strong, staying positive, and doing everything I can to beat it.”
Nico is undergoing a six-week course of radiotherapy, which involves treatment five days a week. Once complete, he is expected to need at least six months of chemotherapy.
So far, Nico is doing as well as possible, although the treatment has taken its toll physically. Within days of starting radiotherapy, he felt incredibly fatigued and drained of energy. It has been important for Nico to remain positive and take this unexpected journey one step at a time.
Not to mention, Nico also set himself a challenge to complete his first HYROX at the end of this year (or potentially the beginning of 2017, depending on when he finishes chemotherapy). The target is a way to stat-motivated and willing to keep fighting, especially as he has never done a HYROX before, so he is determined to change that.
A HYROX challenge is an indoor fitness competition combining 5 miles of running and eight additional workout stations, each involving running and functional exercises.
“I wanted to turn a pretty terrible situation into something positive and do something that could raise money to help others. I’m currently fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support,” he said.
“It’s also given me something to work towards during treatment. Having that goal keeps me focused on my nutrition, fitness, and doing everything I can to stay as strong as possible,” Nico continued.
Indeed, Nico credits his positive mindset for helping him recover from brain surgery so quickly. He is hopeful that it will continue to get him through the difficult few months ahead.
He couldn’t have done any of it without the support of his friends and family. Nico told Newsweek that he feels “very lucky” knowing that he is surrounded by such a wonderful network. Within 24 hours of setting up the JustGiving page for his upcoming HYROX, Nico managed to raise over £5,000 ($6,600), and it has already surpassed £26,400 ($35,300).
Although he is not able to do any training at present, Nico is trying to walk as much as he physically can. He said it is incredibly frustrating to feel so restricted, but listening to his body is vitally important.
Nico also started a social media account (@hospital_to_hyrox on TikTok and Instagram) to keep his friends and family up to date on his journey. But, as it turns out, his story has gone viral on TikTok, and people across the internet are committed to following along and supporting him. To Nico’s surprise, sharing his experience on social media has enabled him to spread awareness and show the reality of cancer treatment.
“I hope it can help others going through something similar, and it’s also become a really important platform for raising money for Macmillan Cancer Support,” Nico said.
“Make the most of everything in life, stay positive, and focus on the people around you who support you. This experience has really shown me how lucky I am to have such an incredible family and friends.”
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